The Miami Dolphins’ 2008 second-round pick will become an unrestricted free agent on March 13, and league sources say the Dolphins won’t be making the former University of Michigan standout an offer.

Dolphins management has made it very clear that they need to upgrade the level of play at quarterback, and the team will likely do that through free agency or the draft.

That’s why re-signing Henne, who produced a 75.7 quarterback rating in his four seasons, isn’t an option Miami’s willing to explore.

“Chad has done what we’ve asked him to do. I like Chad personally very well. He’s very smart. Very intelligent. Very tough. A football guy. He loves being around the game and is a very good teammate,”Jeff Ireland said at the Senior Bowl last month.“But this football team didn’t win enough games when he was quarterback here. But that doesn’t mean he did everything wrong, or right,” Ireland said of Henne, who produced a 13-18 record as a starter for Miami. ”If he goes somewhere else, Chad’s a good football player. He can play in this league.”

See video below of Ireland summing up Chad Henne’s career as a Dolphin:

But there’s a difference between being a player, and being a solid NFL starter. Which is why the Dolphins are ready to move on.

When Matt Moore turned in a 87.1 quarterback rating in his 12 starts last season, producing a 6-6 record with virtually the same weaponry Henne’s had the past two seasons, the Dolphins were shown the light.

This spring Henne, a four-year starter at Michigan, should be fully recovered from his left shoulder surgery that derailed his 2012 season after four starts.

Henne will likely finish his tenure with the Dolphins completing 60.7 percent of his passes for 7,114 yards. He averaged 6.17 yards per pass, which including a career high 7.18 yards per attempt in 2011. But he threw 31 touchdowns and 37 interceptions during the 36 games he played for Miami.

Where Henne lands will likely depend on which teams are in the market for a solid backup, one looking for a fresh start.

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OMAR KELLY was unsuccessful at achieving his childhood dream to become a super hero, so he figured he'd do the next best thing and become a journalist who fights against injustice, and searches for truth. After being bored to death reporting news and covering politics, he switched to sports.
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IZZY GOULD joined the Sun Sentinel in Feb. 2012 as a Senior Sports Reporter on the Miami Dolphins beat. He came to South Florida fresh off covering the University of Alabama football program, including its 2011 national championship team. More